shaker

noun

shak·​er ˈshā-kər 

1

: one that shakes: such as

a

: a utensil or machine used in shaking

cocktail shaker

b

: one that incites, promotes, or directs action

a mover and shaker

2

Shaker [from a dance with shaking movements performed as part of worship] : a member of a millenarian sect originating in England in 1747 and practicing celibacy and an ascetic communal life

Shaker adjective

Shakerism

ˈshā-kə-ˌri-zəm 

noun

Examples of shaker in a Sentence

a member of the Shakers

Recent Examples on the Web

Among the instruments those mento bands played, alongside their guitars and shakers, was a wood-and-iron thumb piano that’s known in Jamaica as a rumba box, which closely resembles the instrument, from Central Africa, best known as an mbira. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

That loyalty has transferred to every table at his restaurant, where shakers sit alongside the ketchup and mustard. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 31 July 2026

Boston shakers are usually used with Hawthorne strainers (the ones with the spring), which are typically sold separately. — Justine Sterling, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026

Hibiscus Tea Top with soda water Method Add all ingredients except soda water to a shaker tin with ice. — John Kell, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing shaker

• mover and shaker
• pepper shaker

Rhymes for shaker

• breaker
• laker
• maker
• nacre
• quaker
• raker
• sacre
• taker
• automaker
• boilermaker
• cabinetmaker
• coffeemaker

Kids Definition

shaker

noun

shak·​er ˈshā-kər 

1

: a utensil or machine used in shaking

2

capitalized : a member of a religious group originating in England and practicing a communal life